Old Friends
by trekqueen
Summary: Former officers of the Enterprise come together when a certain Vulcan shows up unexpectedly. A short birthday fic for my buddy Nienna Weeper.


Author's Note: This if a little one-shot for my friend NiennaWeeper's birthday. Enjoy!!!

Disclaimer: I own nothing and do not make anything financially off of my fan fiction. All rights belong to Roddenberry and Paramount.

**Old Friends**

_Stardate 48651.31_

In the dusk of the growing night, the hobbling figure walked up to his doorway, tapping the panel next to the doorframe to enter. The door opened with a hiss and he made his way into the dark foyer.

"Blasted cadets think they know everything," mumbled retired Admiral Leonard H. McCoy as he slowly kicked off his shoes. "One would think they would know by now how much I hate transporters… Computer, lights!"

Illumination filled the room and the hallway came into focus, showing an empty pathway, and McCoy slowly shuffled into the adjoining room. A large, open view of Sardis Lake of central Mississippi welcomed him, the sun slowly lowering itself in the west behind the hillsides while the calm waters glistened with its golden rays. It was then McCoy saw the tall silhouette that stood out in front of it.

"Hhmph, decided to take a moment out of a busy schedule to visit me, Ambassador?" the former doctor asked.

"For an old friend, Doctor," Spock said, turning to face his long time comrade. "How are the diagnostics and reviews of the new starships?"

"Same as always," McCoy sighed and wandered over to his friend. "It is good to see you too, and I'm sure you are thinking the same no matter how much of a green-blooded Vulcan you think you are."

Despite his stoic demeanor and lack of emotional reactions, no one could tell there was a human half to the Vulcan. A pique of his eyebrow was all McCoy garnered.

"I apologize I was not here for your one hundred and fortieth birthday," Spock added. "I heard there were many celebrations."

"You could say that, it was also an excuse for some youngsters to get drunk!" the man chuckled. "As I recall, you were off on a secret trip."

"Romulus," Spock confirmed. "There still is much work to do for the reunification; however, I believe we are on a proper course."

"I doubt, though, that is what you came here to speak about," McCoy said, making his way to a nearby sofa. He did not offer the Vulcan a seat; he knew well enough Spock would prefer to remain standing.

"That is true, doctor," Spock noted.

"For God sakes, Spock," McCoy interjected. "You can call me Bones, or at the very least Leonard if that is formal enough for you. Damn, it is like pulling teeth and it took long enough for Jim to get you to call him that other than 'Captain' or 'Admiral'."

"That is whom I have come to discuss," Spock said, walking closer and, surprising McCoy, taking a seat across from him with perfect posture. "He has been found."

"Jim? What? How?" McCoy said, his wrinkled brow furrowing. "He died in that accident on the _Enterprise-B_."

"Apparently he did not," Spock said. "The energy ribbon that the _Enterprise-B_ had encountered when rescuing the El-Aurian transport ships was a temporal rip in space. It appears he survived the blast that damaged the ship."

Even with his older bones and less energy than his youth, McCoy still had a spring to him and as he stood to pace around the room, he appeared how he had been in the days of the original _Enterprise_. Finally he stopped and his heavy gaze rested on Spock.

"I regretted not going on that maiden voyage with Scotty and Chekov," the old man said quietly. "There are too many things I thought about that perhaps if I had gone, I could have changed something… that Jim would not have died like that. Though, I came to realize that is how he would have preferred it, being the hero once again."

"Indeed," Spock said, his voice low, understanding the weight of the discussion. "He did that day and Jim did so once more."

"What do you mean?" McCoy asked.

"He gave his life to save many," Spock explained. "I received the news this morning from Admiral Nechayev. There is a transport waiting to take us to Veridian III."

"Why all this lollygagging then, Spock?" McCoy said, hustling down the hallway to pack his bags. "Jim deserves his friends by his side this time to bring him home."

"My thoughts, too, Leonard," Spock said.

McCoy could not help but smirk while walking away.


End file.
